Daijiworld Media Network - Madikeri (SP)
Madikeri, Apr 1: Even as the police, who had initially treated the death of Kodagu district BJP general secretary, Balachandra Kalagi, as an accident and then realized that it was murder, have arrested three persons. In the meantime, a new complaint filed in the rural police station here suspects the role of a couple in this murder.
Balachandra Kalagi's wife, in a complaint made to the police, has expressed the suspicion that a nurse working for a health centre and her husband could be behind the murder of her husband.
Initially, the uncle of the deceased had complained to the police, expressing the involvement of this couple in the murder. The police had, after looking into the complaint, concluded that they had no role to play in this murder. But they have begun investigation afresh now as the wife of Kalagi has filed written complaint against the duo.
Kalagi's wife has mentioned in her complaint about the financial assistance extended by her husband to the couple and also about helping them to avail huge loan from the bank. She also has expressed suspicion about the couple having raised loan from a bank in Sullia to acquire a car and a bungalow. The police are yet to ascertain whether the couple now named had any links with the arrested accused.
K Hariprasad from Sampaje as well as Samath Kumar and Jayan alias Jaggu from Chembu happen to be the main accused in the case. Sampath Kumar had followed Kalagi's car. Kalagi had parked his car near Sudarshan Circle here and taken another car to Arasikatte. CCTV camera footage shows that Sampath was waiting at the circle for Kalagi to return. Lorry driver, Jayan, who was hired to kill Kalagi and make it look like an accident, was waiting near Madenadu, the police have gathered.
The gang had initially planned to kill Kalagi by hitting his car with a truck near Madenadu. However, Kalagi unexpectedly changed his plan and moved via Murnad. Sampath conveyed to Jayan about the change in route and suggested him over cell phone to change the spot of crime. After death of Kalagi was confirmed, Sampath threw away the sim of his cell phone near Monnangeri.
Sampath Kumar had given the contract for killing Kalagi to Hariprasad, and the sum of Rs 30 lac was fixed for the crime. Hariprasad in turn, entrusted this work to Jayan for three lac rupees, it is said. Sampath personally supervised arrangements leading to Kalagi's killing, it is said.